Island



(No Model.)

W. G. RICHARDS.

MORTISE LATCH.

No. 808,041. Patented Nov. 11,- 1884.

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WVILLIAM G. RICHARDS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

MORTl SE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,041, dated November 11, 1884.

Application filed November 10, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM G. Rrcrmnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mortise- Latches, set forth in the specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in mortise-latches for doors, and more particularly to mortise-latches with a reversible latchbolt; and the objects of my invention are to provide a reversible mortise-latch so constructed that there may be solid wood between the rosettes or plates which surround the operating-spindle and knobshanks, which permits the use of screws reaching nearly through the door for securing the rosettes or plates, thereby preventing the rosettes from becoming loose and failing to support the knobshanks, and to avoid the large mortise heretofore required, which I accomplish by supporting the cam at a suitable distance from the case by an arm. I attain these objects by the mechanism and construction illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation with the cover of the case removed. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section 011 line A B. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the thrust-bar 9. Fig. 4- is a plan and elevation of the operating-cam 11. Fig. 5 is aplan of the reversible latch-bolt 19 removed from the case. Fig. 6 is a section of the latch-bolt 011 line C D and Fig. 7 is an elevation showing the divisions of the case and the faceplate made in separate parts.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

I will now describe in detail the construction of the latch and its operation.

Fig. 1 represents a latch-case in which the face-plate is extended upward, said face-plate having an arm extending inwardly, which supports but does not inclose the operating mechanism, consisting of a cam operated bya knob-spindle or knobshanks. The latch-bolt is located in the case, and the action of the cam is transmitted to it by the thrust-bar 9 and the vibrating lever 10. The case may also contain a lock, if desired.

The case and the face-plate may be made in separate parts and fastened together in asuitable manner, asin Fig. 7, or they may be cast in one piece, as in Fig. 1. At the inner end of the arm supporting the cam 11 is an opening which receives the cam, said opening being slotted so that the lip 12 can pass through, after which the cam is pressed back to abearing on its neck and on the larger cylindrical portion, the lip 12 serving to hold it in its place. At the extreme inner end of the arm supporting the cam is a segmental flange, 13, which forms a bearing for the cam directly in line with the strain and in line with the thrust-bar 9. The cam 11 is cylindrical in form, the acting faces 21 22 being formed by the bottom of a recess at right angles to its axis. The thrustbar 9 has faces 14. fitted to receive the action of the cam, and is cut away between the faces to clear the knobspindle. A slot is carried back in the center to receive a lug, 16, on the arm, said lug serving as a guide. The outer end of thrust-bar 9 is connected with a vibrating lever, 10, which has for a fulcrum a knife-edge bearing, 18, the opposite end of said lever being connected with the latch-bolt. It will be seen that the latch-bolt is divided at the inner end. and cut away between the extreme inner end and the end that passes through the face-plate on diagonally opposite corners of the bolt, and that a stud projects on opposite sides to receive the cam-connection. This construction permits the latch to be used either side up, and secures it against rolling or binding in the case. Some other form, of connection'may be used in place of the stud, if desired.

\V-heu the various parts are in position and tion is transmitted through the thrust-bar 9 and'lever 10 to the latch 19. The spring acts to force the latch outwardly, and at the same time acts through the connections 10 and 9. against the cam, which keeps the parts always in contact, thereby preventing lost motion or backlash.

In fitting the latch to a door, a hole bored to the proper depth receives the cam-arm, and another will receive the latch-case, unless it contains a look also, in which case a small mortise is required. This removes but little of the wood and does not destroy the strength of the door to any considerable degree, and allows the rosette-screws to pass above, be-

the cam is rotated in either direction, the molow, and in the rear of the cam to any depth required.

ln some respects changes maybe made in the details of construction given above, and some of the connections may be made in a manner differing from that shown in this instance; hence I do not wish to be understood as limit ing myself to the precise construction herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A case for a mortise lateh formed by two or more divisions which project inwardly from the face-plate, said case having a fulcrum located on a line drawn parallel to and between said divisions of the case, 011 which is mounted a vibrating lever which forms a, connection between the operating mechanism supported by one of said divisions and the latch-bolt located in another of said divisions, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A case fora mortiselatch having a slotted arm projecting from the face-plate adapted to support the operating-cam, the arm having alug, 16, which forms a guide for the bar 9, and the case having a fulcrum, 18, between the arm and the part whichincloses the latch-bolt, in combination with the reversible latch-bolt 19, lever 10, bar 9, cam 11, and a spring arranged to force the latch outwardly, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a mortise-latch, the knife edgc bearing, 18, for avibrating lever, which transmits the motion of the cam to the latch-bolt, said bearing being so arranged that if the latch be forced back, as in closing the door without turning the knob, the lever may lift from the bearing, in combination with the cam 11, bar 9, lever 10, and a reversible latch-bolt, as and for the purposes set forth.

at. A case for a mortise-latch formed by an inclosed chamber and an arm projecting from the faceplate, the arm having its side ribs cut away against the cam-opening, and the case having a fulcrum, 18, located on aline drawn parallel to and between the inclosed chamber and the arm, in combination with the cam 11, bar 9, lever 10, and a reversible latch-bolt, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

5. A reversible mortise-latch bolt divided at the inner end into two parts, said parts being cut away on diagonally-opposite corners of the bolt between the extreme inner end and theend that projects through the face-plate and having on opposite sides projecting studs, in combination with the vibrating lever 10, the thrust-bar 9, cam 11, and a case made in two divisions separating the cam from the latch-bolt, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A mortise-latch case in two or more inwardly-projecting divisions or parts, one of said divisions supporting the operating mechanism and having a slotted opening through which the cam or tumbler passes and in which it has a bearing and having as an additional bearing and support for the cam a segmental flange fitting the circumference of the cam, and having a projecting lug, which serves as a guide for the thrust-bani), substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a mortise-latch, a cylindrical cam operated by a knob spindle or shanks, said cam having a greater and alesser diameter and having acting faces formed by a transverse recess, the cam also having a lip, 12, projecting in a direction at right angles to its axis, in combination with the bar 9, the lever 10, a reversible latch-bolt, and a case having an arm projecting from the face-plate to support the operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

XVILLIAM G. RICHARDS.

\Vi tnesses':

ANALDO M. ENGLIsI-I, CLARENCE E. CHANDLER. 

